Midwife Appointment

[adele88]

So im just back from the midwife everything went ok apart from the fact im due in 2 days and still no sign. The midwife offered to do a membrane sweep which i was quite happy about but also scared as i had never had one. I was a little tence during it as i didnt no what to expect unfortunately she couldnt complete the sweep as she says my cervix was to high and closed. Also that baby hasnt fully engaged yet. She has booked me in for another sweep next friday. Anyone know whats going on and could i still go into labour before next week?

thanks

also what does it mean if baby is back to back?

 

[isobel84]

im think you can go in to labour anyway before next friday. (please wait until sun afternoon tho and i will have all the accsess in the world to do your update )

im not sure what bakc to back mean but im sure some of the woman here have said they have delivered like that and some find it more painful while others dont?

sorry im not much help im just guessing..

 

[serenitylove]

i think if you adjust how you sit it can help the baby turn to face other way google it there is no reason you wont go befor next fri but first babys can be little tinkers for staying where their comfy and warm lol good luck xxx

 

[NicciLove]

It means baby's back is aligning with your back (ie facing forward with you) Back to back labours are supposed to be more painful and can cause longer labours It doesnt mean baby wont turn before labour begins tho.

Need to get on all fours! or birthing balls are supposed to help get baby into a better position xxx

 

[becks20]

baby could still come before next week colbi was back to back and at 39weeks he was slightly more to the side but im not sure how he was when i gave birth but they can turn during labour x

 

[adele88]

thanks everyone feel a little better now i was just quite gutted when she told me baby hasnt engaged yet considering i had been going swimming every week since i found out i was pregnant. I bought a new bouncing ball today as my cat burst my other one so i need to start bouncing and get this little bugger out. Yeah the midwife asked if i get a sore back alot i told her i suffer quite alot she says i need to start lying on my left side instead of my back and instead of lying down alot start sitting up which is easier said than done because when u got a sore back the first thing u wanna do is lie down.

Also say for example baby hasnt engaged by next friday and they cant give me a sweep what will happen. Will they book me in for another sweep and if not successful will i need a c section? Is my chances of getting a c section higher now that baby isnt engaged at 40 weeks. Sorry for all the questions but i really dont have a cliue when it comes to things like this. Also i cant be induced if baby hasnt engaged is that right?

 

[serenitylove]

thanks everyone feel a little better now i was just quite gutted when she told me baby hasnt engaged yet considering i had been going swimming every week since i found out i was pregnant. I bought a new bouncing ball today as my cat burst my other one so i need to start bouncing and get this little bugger out. Yeah the midwife asked if i get a sore back alot i told her i suffer quite alot she says i need to start lying on my left side instead of my back and instead of lying down alot start sitting up which is easier said than done because when u got a sore back the first thing u wanna do is lie down.

Also say for example baby hasnt engaged by next friday and they cant give me a sweep what will happen. Will they book me in for another sweep and if not successful will i need a c section? Is my chances of getting a c section higher now that baby isnt engaged at 40 weeks. Sorry for all the questions but i really dont have a cliue when it comes to things like this. Also i cant be induced if baby hasnt engaged is that right?

dont panick c sec is a last resort hun some babies dont engage untill your in labour if you go a few weeks over then they can start induction by putting gel around your cervix to make it get a move on then take it from there keep bouncing and fingers crossed it will come by itself

 

[berit87]

When I went to my ante natal class, the teacher there said that back to back labours will be longer because in order to come out he will have to basically turn himself round and it can take a long time and be painful. But yes, they can do it any time before labour, all fours will help! So try and do that as much as you can.

I know it is easier said than done but do try to walk as much as you can, that will help the baby engage as well (if you do get sore quickly then just walk around the flat like a mad person and sit down for a bit when you get sore and then start walking again!) I am fond of doing that as when I go outside and get sore it's a long way back

They always say that NORMALLY first babies engage sooner etc but that NORMALLY has never worked for me, something's always the other way round. Unless baby gets distressed they probably wouldn't induce you until in 2 weeks time anyway so there is plenty of time. Walking, bouncing and standing up all help him get into the right position so even though it can be hard work it will be worth it for your own good (and the baby's )

I don't think you are automatically more likely to have a c-section just because he is not engaged at 40 weeks... As I said there is still plenty of time for him to do that... Plus the MW didn't say he wasn't engaged at all, just that he is not FULLY engaged? xx

 

[adele88]

thank you think im a little panicked after being told that from the midwife today after all it is my first pregnancy. yeah im actually sitting on my ball the now with my laptop on my legs. Whats the best way to use my ball to engaged baby's head? x

 

[berit87]

For getting him to engage sit on it and bounce. Or to get him to turn rest on your knees, put your arms on the ball and move back and fourth x

 

[adele88]

When I went to my ante natal class, the teacher there said that back to back labours will be longer because in order to come out he will have to basically turn himself round and it can take a long time and be painful. But yes, they can do it any time before labour, all fours will help! So try and do that as much as you can.

I know it is easier said than done but do try to walk as much as you can, that will help the baby engage as well (if you do get sore quickly then just walk around the flat like a mad person and sit down for a bit when you get sore and then start walking again!) I am fond of doing that as when I go outside and get sore it's a long way back

They always say that NORMALLY first babies engage sooner etc but that NORMALLY has never worked for me, something's always the other way round. Unless baby gets distressed they probably wouldn't induce you until in 2 weeks time anyway so there is plenty of time. Walking, bouncing and standing up all help him get into the right position so even though it can be hard work it will be worth it for your own good (and the baby's )

I don't think you are automatically more likely to have a c-section just because he is not engaged at 40 weeks... As I said there is still plenty of time for him to do that... Plus the MW didn't say he wasn't engaged at all, just that he is not FULLY engaged? xx

thanks i totally panicked today when i heard he wasnt engaged. im defo going to start walking everyday until next week to get him engaged. I imagine giving birth back to back would be really sore and uncomfortable but im wanting an epidural anyway so i prob wouldnt feel it. I really do need 2 stop googling things as you can guess i read that about c section from the internet and suddenly panicked haha .

 

[adele88]

thanks berit very helpful thank god for people on here who no what they are talking about or i wouldnt have a clue xx

 

[berit87]

No problem hun

Stay away from Google! There's all sorts of mad stories there! i always prefer to ask the girls here, answers tend to be more accurate rather than "cousin of a friend of a friend said"

Funny thing is babies are intelligent and do actually know what way is best for them to get out so they do tend to try and get into the right position! Sometimes they just might need a bit of help from mummy so all sorts of moving will help. Bad news for someone like me who likes to be a couch potato at the moment

Happy bouncing hun, he will get there! xx

 

[isobel84]

is "light" bouncing enough? i found i feel sick if i bounce to much and always stop after 10 min

 

[MrsR]

It's not just bouncing that helps, rocking from side to side and moving hips in a circular motion helps too, also just actually sitting on the ball helps x I put a thread up a bit a go called 'your tips' or similar that had a long list of the things that can help with a posterior baby, I'll see if I can find the link x

 

[adele88]

thanks helen that would be really useful xx

 

[MrsR]

Here it is chick:

http://www.pregnancyforum.co.uk/third-trimester/128549-tip-sharing.html

 

[adele88]

right i just checked through my notes there and the midwife has wrote 3/4/5 am guessing this is how much its engaged? any ideas as to what this means also it hasnt changed all the way through my notes which i found quite strange

 

[berit87]

When did you first have that in your notes? From what week? The 5ths for engagement? x

 

[adele88]

its been the same the whole time throughout my pregnancy hasnt changed